Story by Henry W. Thomas & photos by Matthew Broderick.
Aid organizations for the homeless in Asheville say they are more resourced than ever following the influx of donation and aid organizations that came into western North Carolina post-Helene.
Supply distributions, such as Asheville Survival Program’s (ASP) “Street Side,” saw large influxes of donations in the aftermath of the hurricane.
According to their website, ASP helps to promote solidarity by supporting and building mutual aid networks in the area.
Their distribution series, Street Side, helps alleviate some of the material needs of Asheville’s homeless community, ranging from things like food to comfort items like cigarettes.
Following Helene, ASP also had an increased presence in the community, hosting events like heater build sessions and additional distributions.
Nathan Downs, an attendee of Street Side since August of 2024, said mutual aids after Helene have been efficient at responding to the needs of the community overall.
“I say they’re doing a pretty good job,” Downs said. “That’s probably one of the reasons why they’ve added more days to their functions is because they want to help more people out.”
Andy Ashley said he was homeless during and after the hurricane, and lost everything he had. Following the hurricane he noticed ASP ramped up their aid initiatives.
“You had to go out and actually seek help if you really needed it,” Ashley said. “Now it’s just coming to your neighborhood.”
Mo Swirsky, a volunteer at Street Side, said that the national attention has allowed much of the increased need in Asheville to be met.
“This distribution here has been going on for years, and I think we’re the most resourced we’ve ever been with just supplies and donations,” Swirsky said.
After the hurricane, many larger organizations came to the area to help with relief, such as the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, and Americares.
However, Swirsky added that the exit of these larger aid organizations also came at a difficult time for the community.
“All of our emergency shelters closed by the end of December – all the temporary shelters that were set up for Helene,” Swirsky said. “Right as we’re getting into the thick of the coldest time of the year.”
Rachel Backus, a homeless resident of Asheville, said that she saw homes being given away for families who had just lost them, while few housing efforts changed for the homeless community. If anything, Backus added, conditions have worsened.
“Now places where we’ve put tents to sleep in and stuff, they’ve fenced off where we can’t,” Backus said.
Downs was out of town when all of his things were washed away. After returning to the city, FEMA was still a large part of recovery in the area, though declined helping Downs.
“My camp was completely washed out. There was no saving anything that I had,” Downs said. “So all the things that I had [were] eventually taken from me, but I couldn’t claim that in FEMA.”
When asked about its policy on aiding the homeless population, FEMA shared the following statement: “FEMA does not provide housing or home repair assistance to applicants who were experiencing homelessness prior to the disaster.”
The City of Asheville’s Point-in-Time Count, a single night snapshot analysis of the homeless population in the area, found that 35% of people who were unsheltered reported homelessness due to the storm.
The report also states that without the tropical storm the 2025 results may have been lower than in 2024.
Brooke Smith, the Crisis Ministry director of Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries (ABCCM) also noted the ministry’s influx of people seeking assistance following the devastation of Helene.
“We had 10 folks come in for rental and utility assistance–nine of the 10 were new,” Smith said. “Had never been clients before, had never sought assistance before.”
In spite of the increase of need, aid initiatives for the population of homeless individuals following the hurricane have seen more support than ever., Smith said
Helene caused major damage to ABCCM’s Veterans Restoration Quarters, a 250-bed residential facility designed for homeless male veterans, Smith said. ABCCM was quickly able to work out a deal with a nearby hotel to house the residents.
However, a volunteer with Street Side who has asked to be referred to as “A” said that the communal loss of resources caused by the storm has called for people to be more attentive to the needs of the community.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Asheville residents experienced nearly two months without clean running water. Some were without electricity for four months.
“When there’s that distinction between the people who do have those necessities, or, you know, luxuries, and those who do not, then I find people are less likely to help,” A said. “But once everyone is in the same boat, so to speak, it becomes much more necessary for people to step up.”
Ashley said he agreed with a tagline popularly heard in Asheville: “Buncombe County won’t let you go hungry.” He added that people in the community will stop their cars to help people out.
“It’s a blessing for sure,” Ashley said.
